President Irfaan Ali used his Independence Day address on Monday night to celebrate Guyana’s rise as the world’s fastest-growing economy and to urge citizens to embrace unity under the banner of “One Guyana.” Yet for many Guyanese grappling with a high cost of living, persistent poverty and deep political divisions, the speech highlighted the contrast between the country’s economic achievements and the realities confronting many citizens.
“Sixty years ago, tonight, the Golden Arrowhead rose,” Ali declared during the national Independence observance at Fort Island in the Essequibo River. “Tonight, on the Diamond Jubilee of our Independence, we stand before the world, not as supplicants, not as the forgotten, but as a sovereign people, proud, unbroken, and unafraid.”
Throughout the address, the President highlighted Guyana’s economic transformation, pointing to rapid GDP growth, expanding oil production, major infrastructure projects and increased investment in healthcare, housing and education.
“We are today the fastest growing economy on earth,” Ali said. “Fastest growing not in this hemisphere, not in the Caribbean, but on the entire planet.”
The President noted that oil production now exceeds 915,000 barrels per day and pointed to the growth of the Natural Resources Fund, arguing that the country is building prosperity for future generations.
However, many Guyanese, economists and social commentators contend that the prosperity described in the speech has yet to translate into significantly improved living conditions for a large segment of the population. A 2025 Report by the InterAmerican Development Bank reported that approximately 58 percent of Guyanese lived below the poverty line, with 32 percent living in extreme poverty. Some local analysts believe the figures remain high and may exceed official estimates, despite years of rapid economic growth fueled by oil revenues.
At the same time, consumers continue to face rising prices for food, transportation, utilities and housing, prompting persistent concerns about the cost of living in a country now ranked among the world’s fastest-growing economies.
While Ali stressed that development must benefit all Guyanese, the address devoted little attention to the economic pressures confronting households or to the widening public debate over whether the benefits of the oil boom are reaching those most in need.
“The oil beneath our waters is not the property of a government, it is the property of our people,” the President said. “It belongs to every Guyanese who came before us and to every Guyanese yet to be born.”
The speech’s repeated appeals for unity also drew attention to Guyana’s continuing political divisions.
Ali urged Guyanese to reject “the poison of zero-sum politics” and called on “government and opposition, private sector and labour, civil society and citizens” to work together in harmony.
Yet the President’s relationship with opposition leaders has remained strained. During the 12th Parliament, Ali faced repeated calls to engage then Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton on issues of national importance, but substantive dialogue between the two leaders never materialised. Similar concerns have emerged in the current 13th Parliament, where Ali has thus far declined to engage Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed despite public appeals for discussions on governance, national development and electoral issues.
Political analysts have argued that the absence of meaningful engagement between the government and opposition weakens calls for national unity and inclusiveness, particularly when such themes feature prominently in official national celebrations.
Questions have also been raised about the inclusiveness of this year’s Independence observances. Opposition parties, trade unions and other stakeholders have been excluded from meaningful participation in activities commemorating Guyana’s 60th anniversary of Independence. Some participants and commentators also questioned the limited recognition afforded to several figures associated with the independence movement and post-independence nation-building efforts.
Cultural observers further noted the limited presence of traditional patriotic music and other historic elements that have long been associated with Guyana’s Independence celebrations, arguing that the milestone anniversary provided an opportunity to more fully honour the nation’s cultural and political heritage.
Beyond politics, governance concerns continue to accompany Guyana’s economic expansion. International transparency and governance assessments have repeatedly highlighted vulnerabilities related to public procurement, natural resource management and institutional accountability. Opposition parties, civil society organisations and transparency advocates have continued to call for stronger oversight of public spending and greater transparency in the management of oil revenues and major state projects.
Ali nevertheless ended his address on a hopeful note, urging Guyanese to embrace a common future.
“We are proving before the eyes of the world that a people drawn from many histories can still build one destiny,” he said.
Sixty years after Independence, many Guyanese continue to measure national success not only by economic growth, oil production and international recognition, but also by whether ordinary citizens can afford basic necessities, whether poverty is being meaningfully reduced, whether public institutions inspire confidence, and whether the promise of “One People, One Nation, One Destiny” is reflected in governance as much as it is in rhetoric.
